Browsed byMonth: September 2017

Every new season we do our best to curate the massive wave of new TV anime, so you know which projects don’t only have interesting premises, but also the staff to allow them to flourish and an environment where production isn’t at risk of crashing. Many interesting creators have gathered this season on projects you might not have paid attention to, so don’t miss this special feature!

This entry on our series about the most promising up-and-coming anime creators has a particular theme: Kyoto Animation’s new generation. Unlike the many young stars we’ve highlighted so far, who generally lend their talents to half the industry, we’ll tackle two incredible artists who exclusively work for a single studio. Enjoy this introduction of the two women who, on a direction and animation level, are meant to lead KyoAni in the future…and the present already!

The Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale movie has finally been released on bluray in Japan, and so we bring you the translation of the commentary many of its animation directors gave while rewatching the film together. If you’re a fan of the series, or simply enjoy the film’s spectacular action, there’s plenty of insight as to how it all came together. Character Designer/Chief Animation Director: Shingo Adachi x Assistant Director: Hirotaka Mori x Monster Designer/Effects Animation Director: Ryuta Yanagi x…

There’s plenty to cover this time as we go through the last episodes that wrapped up Apocrypha‘s first cours. Story developments, a look into the staff’s continued attention to detail, as well as insight into the state of the production itself as it makes its way into the second cours!

Today, the bizarre news that the main creator behind the surprise mega-hit Kemono Friends had been removed from his role by Kadokawa hit the internet. Even though it wasn’t a traditionally well produced anime, we’ve already talked about how much of an unusual triumph the whole project was. To honor its staff after this sad development, we bring you the translation of an interview with the staff of this immensely charming series. Director, series composer, scriptwriter, storyboarder: Tatsuki Animation Director:…

Tokyo Game Show is currently underway, bringing with it a wave of news related to Japan’s top gaming IPs. A wave everyone’s prepared to ride under normal circumstances, but that got a bit derailed by an unexpected announcement: The [email protected] franchise will see a brand new theatre branch added to its ranks in 2018, as an addition to the current 765AS (original flavour), Cinderella Girls, Million Live, and SideM. This has once again sparked the arguments on why won’t Namco simply focus…

If you’re the kind of fan who follows the behavior of studios, chances are that MAPPA’s current state has made you curious; they’re producing more than ever after all, despite having notoriously struggled to get some of their series finished in time. I’d like to take this post to bring up changes at the company that explain their curious and in some ways worrying growth.

Card Captor Sakura is getting, amongst many other things, a new anime project as part of its 20th anniversary campaign. It has reunited part of its original crew, but their approach isn’t quite the same this time. Aesthetic trends have changed a lot over the years, as well as the way in which anime is produced to begin with, and it all has an effect on the final product. Rather than just scream about anime not being as good as…

Our series highlighting the work of the most promising young anime creators returns with someone you might unknowingly be acquainted with: Naoki Yoshibe, the director behind fantastic openings for Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures and Gatchaman Crowds, who also happens to be behind the yotube persona who keeps on making his effects animation clips go viral online. Prepare for an in-depth look at an artist who truly deserves it!

It’s time for a rather extensive look at the latest episodes of this show, and that means we first get an encouraging anime original moment for Riko…and then we truly descend the abyss. The craft of this world, how to convey visceral pain in animation, how this production is faring and much more! Now more than even I can say that Made in Abyss is an excellent show, even when it tries to crush your soul and ruin your sleep.